Trail of Painted Ponies

The Trail of Painted Ponies started as a public art project in New Mexico. In the summer of 2000, a major sculptor was appointed to come up with a way to boost interest and awareness in the country’s history and cultural heritage.

Life-size ceramic ponies were distributed to famous and emerging artists for painting. The ceramic works of art were auctioned off to support various non-profit organizations.

Below are some example product of Trail of Painted Ponies that you can purchase at Amazon:

With the success of the New Mexico project, Westland Giftware acquired license to produce small-scale replicas of the painted ponies and market them as collectibles in 2002. A pony figurine begins as an artist’s work of art then crafted into a ceramic figurine.

The first set of 12 figurines was made available in early 2003. Since then, Westland Giftware releases new additions in a 6-month interval. Painted ponies cost $20 to $30 a piece, but when the company “retires” a design, a single limited edition figurine can cost up to hundreds of dollars!

What started as a public art project in 2002 is now one of the greatest collection of all time. Today, the Painted Ponies collection is not only limited to small-scale pony figurines. Here is a list of other stuff you can get from the collection that is sure to be enjoyed by a horse lover.

• Ornaments are miniature replicas of the painted ponies that are made as holiday décor or design gift bows and draperies.

• Books from the Painted Ponies collection are essential guides for all Trail collectors. These books feature the history of The Trail and a background on each of the crafted figurine.